JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats say stay away from red states. Vladimir Putin says mitts off Ukraine.

But “don’t touch my girlfriend?”

Not the usual admonition heard by President Barack Obama.

Let’s be clear: It was a joke. It unfolded while Obama cast an early ballot Monday in Chicago.

A young woman, Aia (A-ya) Cooper, was voting next to Obama when her boyfriend, Mike Jones, decided to crack wise: “Mr. President, don’t touch my girlfriend.”

Obama, laughing, replied: “There’s an example of a brother just embarrassing me for no reason.”

Cooper apologized. But Obama imagined how she would retell the encounter: “I can’t believe Mike, he is such a fool. I was just mortified…But fortunately, the president was nice about it, so it’s all right.”

Obama gave her a smooch. “Give him something to talk about.”

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